Average Hand Size Charts for Men, Women and Children

What’s the average hand size? The length of the hand is measured from the base of the palm to the top of the middle finger. Outside sports and music, most people don’t usually pay attention to the sizes of their hands. Little did they know how much the dimension of their hands matters in the overall experience of life.

Average Hand Size Charts for Men, Women and Children size-charts.com
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Hand sizes vary from one person to another. Men tend to have larger hand sizes than women. Data has it that an adult male has an average hand Length of 7.6inches/19.30cm while an adult female has an average hand length of 6.8inches/17.27cm. But there’s more to hand size than length.

This article provides a detailed overview of average hand size and a handy size chart to help you understand how the sizes of hands vary from one person to another. You will also learn how to measure the size of your hand. 

Also, in the frequently asked section, you’ll find a detailed highlight of how the sizes of your hands affect your likelihood of success at sports. And some other critical facts.

different hand sizes
different hand sizes

Table of Content of Average Hand Size

Average hand size chart in Adults 

AVERAGE SIZEMales (in/cm)Females
Average length7.6/ 19.316.8/ 17.272
average breadth3.5/ 8.893.1/ 7.87
average circumference8.6/ 21.847.0/ 17.78

Average hand size charts for kids

Hand sizes and glove size are linked: looking for children’s gloves sizes? check this link

GENDERAGEAVERAGE LENGTH (in/cm)AVERAGE BREADTH (in/cm)
Girl6 years old4.4-5.7 (11.18-14.48)2.0-2.7 (5.08-6.858)
 11 years old5.6-7.0 (14.22-17.78)2.0-3.1 (5.08-7.87)
Boys6 years old4.6-5.7 (11.68-14.49)2.1-2.6 (5.33-6.60)
 11 years old5.5-6.8 (13.97-17.27)2.0-3.1 (5.09-7.87)

Know your glove size by knowing your hand size

A full glove size chart you can find here

Hand sizeGlove size
7 inchesXSmall
7.5–8 inchesSmall
8.5–9 inchesMedium
9.5–10 inchesLarge
10.5–11 inchesXLarge
11.5–12 inches2 XLarge
12–13.5 inches3 XLarge

Average hand measurements for gloves sizing

CIRCUMFERENCE (in/cm)HAND LENGTH (in/cm)MaleFemale
6/15.246.2/15.756.5 – XS6.5 – XS
6.5/16.516.5/16.517 – S7 – S
7.1/18.036.8/17.277.5 – M
7.5/19.057/17.788 – M8 – L
7.9/20.077.3/18.548.5 – XL
8.5/21.597.5/19.059 – L 
9.5/24.138.1/20.5710 – XL 
10.5/26.678.8/22.3511 – XXL 
Hand Size measurements
Hand Size measurements

How to Measure Average Hand Size

There are several factors to measure if you want to have a big picture of the actual size of your hand. Measure the handspan of your hand would only give you an idea. Handspan of size works best for sports people. For fashion enthusiasts and people trying to select a glove to keep warm, this handspan measurement limits the possibility of finding their perfect size.

There is a simple way to measure the size of your hand in the comfort of your home without stress or consulting an expert. all you need to get this done is a tape measure or a standard ruler. Below is a guide on how to measure your hand size:

  • Length: From the top of the middle finger to the bottom of the palm.
  • Breadth: The widest part where the fingers connect to the palm.
  • Circumference: Around the fullest part of the hand around the knuckles but excluding the thumb.

How to Measure The Length of your hand?

Measuring the length of your hand requires you to hold your palm in front of your face with your fingers pointing towards the ceiling. All your fingers should be standing erect, especially the middle finger. Using a ruler, tape rule or tape measure, measure from the tip of the middle finger to the curves or base of the palm. The value you get would be the length of your hand. 

How to Measure the Circumference of Your hand?

To get the circumference of your hand you need to hold your hand in front of you. hold the index finger to the pinky finger together but slightly open and separate the thumb. Wrap a tape measure or tape rule around the point where your fingers join to your palm. This value gives you the circuit

How to measure your grip size?

Knowing your grip size is critical in the selection of tools and your sporting endeavours. Measuring your grip size is not as straightforward as the length or circumference, but it is simple. The first step is to hold your thumb and index finger for a perfect ‘O’. Using a ruler or tape rule, measure the diameter (top of the ‘O’ to the bottom of the ‘O’). For accurate measurement, ensure your measurement stays inside to ‘O’. Then multiply the value you get from this measurement by 3.14. The answer you get would give you your grip size. 

How to measure your Handspan?

If you are veering toward a career in sports or music, these measurements matter a lot. It is one of the criteria that determines how well you’ll do. The hand size or handspan is the widest possible spread of the palm and fingers. To get the accurate measurement of your handspan, you need to get a plain sheet of paper: A4 and above. Spread your hand on the paper as wide as possible. Using a pen or pencil, mark the position of the tip of the thumb and the tip of the pinkie finger. Use a ruler to draw a line between these two points. The length of the line drawn between these two points represents your hand distance. 

Frequently Asked Questions about average hand size

What is the average hand size of an NFL player?

NFL is known to give preference to people with sizeable hands. The reason is because of concerns about ball security and grips during bad weather, which could affect the performance of defensive players. Hand sizes for NFL are more pronounced for quarterbacks. Over the past eighteen years, the average Quarterback’s hand size has been 9.7inches/24.64cm. However, hand sizes of lesser lengths have been found but they are not common. Kevin Hogan is recorded to have a handspan of about 10.25inches/26.04cm. Even Josh Freeman, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, Cam Newton, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and others are NFL Quarterback players with the biggest hands in the history of the game: ranging above 10inches/25.4cm.

What is the average hand size of an NBA player?

Size matters for an NBA player. Your handspan affects ball control. The wider handspan can help you with the handling of the balls on the pitch. The sizes used in NBA are the length and the span. The lenght is measured from the tip of the middle finger to the base of the palm. The average Length for NBA so far has been 7.4inches/18.80cm. NBA has witnessed some outliers who have an excess of 10inches. Players like Michael Jordan, Kevin Willis, Kobe Brant, Josh Smith,  and Jordan Palmer, are basketball players who have benefited from large hands size. And for the span measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie finger, the average has been 8.5inches/21.59cm. 

What is a normal hand size?

There is no specific value of handspan that depicts a normal or abnormal hand size. Generally, the only value you’ll find is the average hand size which varies from male to female and is also different for kids. Unfortunately, as you begin to age, the physiological construction of your body begins to change and you lose sever inches in your body structures. Adult hand size can range from anywhere from 5inches/12.7cm to 10inches/25.4cm. Some may go lower or high than that. 

What is the average man’s hand size?

According to polls on man’s hand size, it is found that the average size is 7.6inches/19.304cm for adult males.  Anything over this is in the large range and anything below this is low range. However, no one is limited by the size of their hands except for sports and music.

What is the average hand size of a 1-year-old?

In the first two years, kids tend to have relatively small hands. However, their hand sizes vary according to their gender. Babies (male and female) have an average hand circumference of 3.75inches/ inches or 9.5 cm. 

What is the average hand size for a 13-year-old?

Girls and boys 13 years old have different hands dimension. For boys, their hand span or sizes measure an average of 19.27cm. Girls have a span of 18.24cm. 

What is the average hand size of a boxer?

Hand size does not have much influence on the skills of a boxer. The hand sizes of boxers have varied in equal degree to the number of boxers participating in the sport. However, an average hand span of boxers lies anywhere from 8 inches to 10 inches. 

What is the average size of a hand of a newborn baby?

According to research on researchgate where the hand lenght of over 200 babies was sampled. The average length of newly born is approximately 65.5mm. 

How big are average Americans’ hands compared to Europeans?

The average hand size of an adult American male is 7.6inches/19.30cm, while the European counterpart is 7.44inches/18.90cm. On the American side, the average female hand size is 6.8inches/17.27cm, while the European female hand size averages 6.77inches/17.20cm. In any rase, males have always been found to have the largest hands.

Conclusion

Knowing your hand size is not just for awareness or knowledge, it helps you make some critical purchase decisions. The value of your grip can help you make an accurate purchase decision when you are searching for tools that fit perfectly into your grip without giving any form of discomfort. When you are signing up for a gym membership, the knowledge of your grip size would help you decide which wights are perfect for you. Also, finding your glove sizes would be influenced by your hand size. Your interest in sports and several other aspects of life depend on the size of your hand. Although you can’t change the size of your hands, you can make choices that help you make the most of the current size. If you have any questions about hand sizes or you need any form of help, leave a comment below and you get a response as soon as possible. Remember to share the article with friends, it’s the best way to keep them informed.

Picture in this post by Renate Vanaga on Unsplash

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